Tempers flare as Metro route gives Nigdi a miss

Residents start campaign against central govt’s decision, to seek help from CM

Pune Metro Rail project’s proposed route has not gone down well with the residents of Nigdi. Agitated citizens believe that the project will not benefit nearly 70 per cent area of Pimpri- Chinchwad, as it has skipped the Akurdi, Chinchwad and Nigdi stretch.

The citizens groups are livid that despite all their lobbying for the past four years, the central government’s decision on the Metro route has given their areas a miss. They want to make Nigdi the starting point of the Metro Rail project, instead of Pimpri Chowk.

The much-awaited Pune Metro Rail project’s Phase I was approved on Wednesday by the central ministry. It will cover a length of 31.254 km, comprising two corridors from Pimpri- Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (located at Pimpri Chowk) to Swargate and Vanaz to Ramwadi.

Anand Panse, a resident of Nigdi, lamented, “Nigdi is located in the heart of Pimpri-Chinchwad, but there is no railway station here. If the project starts from here, it will benefit several people and decongest the roads.”

The members of the Pimpri- Chinchwad Citizens’ Forum (PCCF) have started an online and offline campaign to protest the route. They have collected reactions of thousands of citizens from Nigdi, Akurdi, Chinchwad and other adjoining areas to emphasise the need to make Nigdi the starting point of the project.

Also, members of the Chinchwad Pravasi Sangh (CPS) have decided to file a public interest litigation (PIL) against the Union cabinet in this regard. They have collected nearly 800 signatures of citizens for this.

Amol Deshpande, convener of PCCF, told
Pune Mirror, “Nigdi’s exclusion from Pune Metro Phase I confirms continuation in series of injustice on the citizens of Pimpri-Chinchwad.”

CPS president Gulamali Bhaldar shared, “Around 15 lakh people live on the Nigdi, Akurdi and Chinchwad belt. Out of these, Nigdi is the most populated area in the twin towns of Pimpri and Chinchwad.”

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